Meaning & Origin
A member of a people living primarily in the Shan State of Myanmar (also known as Burma), and in adjacent areas of China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, with about 6 million people.
Shan is a boy's and girl's baby name of Chinese origin, commonly written with characters meaning 'mountain' (山) or 'coral' (珊), among other possibilities. It is also the name of the Shan people, an ancient Tai ethnic group of mainland Southeast Asia, primarily in Myanmar's Shan State.
With 2,224 recorded U.S. births, Shan has been used across Chinese American, Irish American (as a form of Sean), and Southeast Asian communities. Its brevity and cross-cultural presence make it a versatile name with layers of meaning.